Tolerance
by Lynsey Schadegg
Summary: I...I thought I was the only one. Glorfindel/Erestor. *complete* Warnings: Language, bigotry, AU
1. Chapter 1

Characters: Erestor, Glorfindel, Elrond, OC's

Rating: R (see warnings)

Warnings: Language, bigotry, AU

Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings or its characters. I make no money from this fiction.

Summary: I…I thought I was the only one.

* * *

"Where do you think you're going, queer?"

Erestor stilled, holding his books close to his chest as if they could protect him from the pain he knew was coming.

"I'm just trying to get to class…" Erestor said demurely, trying to be as uninteresting as possible. Maybe then they would go away. Just walking from home to the Last Homely House to attend classes with Lord Elrond had become a daily torture since he and his fellow classmates had grown to the awkward age of not-quite child and not-quite adult. The age where youths defined themselves, their states of being, and slowly evolved into what they would one day become.

Erestor, over the course of inept puberty and gangly adolescence, had discovered he was attracted not the opposite sex but to his own. And then, he had made the ultimate mistake of shyly flirting with one of the young warriors he was schooled with.

The fallout had been extraordinary.

Since that day, Erestor had been taunted and habitually beaten by the other boys. Now, nearly at their majorities, the boys had yet to cease their constant badgering of the much smaller scholar. To add insult to injury, Erestor was the only male in his age group to become a scholar instead of a warrior, leaving him vulnerable to any attack made by the others.

One of the other boys grabbed Erestor's books from his hands and began going through them. Disgusted, he threw them in the dirt one by one. "Just the kind of stuff I would expect a little pussy-boy like you to read."

"Lord Elrond assigned them to me…" the dark-haired boy said defensively.

Erestor's neatly braided hair was grabbed by the larger boy, and his face turned up the meet the glaring visage above him. Corchvorn. The staunchest adversary Erestor faced. The ring-leader of the gang that constantly harassed him. "Are you trying to tell me that a great warrior like Lord Elrond reads that kind of crap? He probably didn't want to offend your tender sensibilities with something a little more meaty. Wouldn't want to the little queer boy crying like a girl if he read anything violent." The other boys laughed as Erestor was flung onto his knees.

"You going to the ball tomorrow night, sweetheart? Got a hot date?"

Erestor gathered his courage. He wouldn't give in to their taunting. It only made it worse. "I don't intent on going to the ball," he replied. And really, he didn't. The ball had several purposes, the least of which was to simply provide entertainment. It was a chance to display one's wealth in the richly designed costumes and jewelry. It was a chance to show off one's offspring, how beautiful they were, how marriageable. It was a chance to flaunt relations and lucrative betrothals.

Erestor had none of these. He was not betrothed, and neither would he be. News of his _affliction_ had traveled fast after the initial blowup among the youths. It had taken no time for his classmates to tell their parents, who talked to their peers. He was an outcast. _Different_. _Tainted_.

A sharp laugh. "I bet not. What girl would want to go with you? You're prettier than they are."

"He looks like a girl today," commented one of the other boys who reached down to pull on Erestor's dark tresses. "You like men so much you're turning into a girl!" The other boys laughed again.

"I am not a girl!" Erestor ground out. His resolve to not react to their petty taunting was rapidly disintegrating.

"You're not, huh? Well, we'll just have to take a peak under those pretty robes to see if you're telling the truth."

Frightened, Erestor tried to twist out of the steel grasp he had found himself in only to be pinned to the ground as hands started tearing away his robes.

"No! Please don't! Please!" His robes fell away, and his shirt came shortly after. "Stop!"

"Children!" Came a deep voice, belonging not to a boys, but to a fully grown male.

The pillaging hands disappeared and the young men slowly backed away from the nearly bare Erestor. The young darkling was trying his best to cover his naked chest with the remnants of his shirt. Luckily, they had not yet gotten to his leggings when the elder had arrived. He hung his head in shamed embarrassment, tears falling unbidden down his cheeks.

The other boys had automatically formed a line, just as they had been taught on the training field. Erestor's savior glared at the assembled younglings.

"Just what were you doing?" he asked softly.

"We thought we would see whether or not he was truly male. We had our doubts," said Corchvorn with a self-satisfied air. He smirked at the elder conspiratorially, as if the older elf were in on an inside joke only they knew.

"Excuse me?" the older elf asked incredulously.

"He likes cock so much we thought the little faggot might actually be a female, considering how pretty he is. We just thought we would take a little look…" was as far as he got before he was slapped across the face.

"I will not tolerate such foul language from my troops. Nor will I tolerate such bigotry. Where did you learn this filth?"

The shocked and outraged boy stared at Glorfindel in anger. "My Ada says that…"

"Your Ada is a fool if he has filled your head with such nonsense. I will see you all on the training grounds before dawn tomorrow for your punishment. If you or your parents disapprove of my methods or beliefs, then you can feel free to withdraw yourselves from the training program and join the scribes. You are dismissed."

The young men walked away, utterly confused and terribly upset by their commander's words. They had been doing such things for years now, and no one had deemed to stopp them. In fact, their treatment of Erestor had been applauded by their parents. Unclean they had called the young elf. Unnatural, freak, faggot were words that had frequently been used to describe Erestor. Such disgusting habits were not those of good warriors, they had been told by their fathers. These behaviors were the mark of a weak ellon not worthy of becoming a warrior. The youths did not understand what they had done wrong.

The elder elf bent down and helped a still shaking Erestor to his feet. He picked up the books scattered about the ground as well as the remains of the younger elf's clothing.

"How often does this happen?" he asked with concern.

"Often enough," whispered Erestor who had hidden his face behind the hair that had fallen from its braids.

"I'm sorry that this seems to be a repeat occurrence. If I had known I would have put a stop to it before not." He unhooked his light cloak of office and draped it about the young elf's shoulders.

"Thank you, my Lord….?" Erestor hesitated, not knowing any of the guards as he spent his time holed up in the library.

"Glorfindel," said the elder elf gently.

Erestor sucked in a breath and started trembling minutely. This was one of the greatest warriors of all time, a legend….a very, very masculine elf. If anything, he should have been disgusted by Erestor and his unnatural preferences. The dark elf had never seen the Seneschal before, and admittedly he had never wanted to, fearing the ridicule he would receive from a warrior of his status.

"I….I'm v-very s-sorry for taking u-up y-your time, my Lord Glorfindel. I will just…"

"Wait," Glorfindel said as he put his hand on the fleeing youth's shoulder. He turned Erestor around and lifted his chin to examine his face.

Erestor looked into deep, cerulean eyes and became wholly embarrassed as he felt his body respond to the older elf. He flushed hotly in utter humiliation.

Glorfindel touched his face and brushed back long, inky black hair. "You have quite a few scratches and cuts. You should have these seen to," he said with a touch of worry.

"I'll be fine," Erestor protested.

"No. I insist you get these treated." Erestor hung his head again. Glorfindel's eyes brightened in sudden understanding. "You do not want anyone to know."

"Please. Just let it go. I'll be healed in a couple of days. Just like always…"

"I will do everything I can to make certain this never happens again. I promise, young one." Erestor looked dubious of such outrageous words, but he didn't have much time to contemplate them. The blond helped the youth to his feet and helped him wrap the cloak around him to cover his partial nudity. "Let's get you cleaned up…?" Glorfindel ended his sentence with a questioning air, looking at the darkling expectantly.

"Oh," Erestor startled a little, fluttering his hands. "Erestor. My name is Erestor."

"Erestor. What a beautiful name."

The darkling blushed heavily at the compliment and cast his gaze downward.

"Now here," Glorfindel tutted, tilting the small, triangular face upward again with a large, sword-calloused hand. "What's that all about?"

"I-it's j-just that, um. Well, I guess…I," Erestor stuttered.

Glorfindel smiled indulgently. "Never you mind," he said. "Now come, into the House and we'll treat your wounds."

Glorfindel pulled the much smaller elf alongside of him as he made his way to his rooms. Erestor was terribly torn. On one hand, Glorfindel was acting very chivalrous and polite. On the other…Glorfindel was the physical embodiment of everything Erestor would never be and the role model for all the boys that ritualistically ridiculed him. What if they had learned any of their horrible insults from this ultimate warrior of warriors?

Frightened but conditioned to do as his elders bid him, Erestor padded beside Glorfindel into the tastefully decorated and neatly cleaned halls of the high ranking elves in the Valley. Glorfindel would have a suite of rooms fit to his ranking, Erestor knew, and the Seneschal was of nearly equal status with Lord Elrond. Erestor gulped and clutched the impromptu covering closer to his chest.

They stopped in front of a dark wood door. Glorfindel unlocked it with a heavy metal key pulled from his pocket and ushered the smaller elf inside.

Glorfindel sat Erestor on a stool next to an ornate and obviously antique vanity, and he busied himself finding his ointments and cleaning necessities. He also dug a soft, well-worn shirt from his wardrobe and handed it to the boy who immediately put it on. It was much too large for his small frame, but at least hit gave him decent covering.

"Why don't you tell me what happened from the beginning," suggested the warrior as he began to gently clean the abrasions on Erestor's pale face. Slowly, the youth related the day's events as he was systematically cleaned, pausing to hiss now and again as the stinging herbs were used on a particularly deep wound.

"Why does Elrond not take care of this? Surely he would not stand for the other boy's actions."

"I've never told him," Erestor said, looking away.

"Why?"

"I…I didn't want him to make me leave. I could never be a warrior. I just want to be a scribe, maybe a councilor. I was afraid he wouldn't want someone like me in his household if he knew I was a…" his voice dropped to an embarrassed whisper, "unclean queer."

Large hands once again cupped his chin and made him look into blindingly brilliant eyes.

"I never want to hear that from you again. There is nothing wrong with you. Nothing."

"But my parents said…"

Blue eyes widened incredulously. "Your _parents_ are telling you such nonsense, too?" A dark head nodded a miniscule amount. "What has this world come to?" he questioned no one in particular.

Glorfindel knelt in front of the young elf and looked into his dark chocolate eyes. "I know that you do not believe me," the warrior began, "but I swear there is nothing wrong with being attracted to your own sex. Lord Elrond would verify my words if you were to ask. Just because you have a rare preference does not mean that you are unnatural or unclean. You are simply rare, unique, and beautiful." He smiled at the completely dumb-struck face on the small elf in front of him.

"You…" Erestor blushed deeply and cleared his throat. "You think I am beautiful?" he asked in small, hopeful voice.

Glorfindel laughed. "I assume you have not gained your majority?"

Confused by the odd question, Erestor nodded. "Not quite yet, my lord."

"Hmm," Glorfindel smirked through pursed lips. "Well, it is safe to say that if you had, I would forthrightly ask for permission to court you."

If possible, Erestor's eyes widened farther. "You're…you're…"

"I'm the same as you, young one."

Erestor's breath shuddered and his eyes filled with tears. "I thought I was the only one."

"Not the only one," Glorfindel said with a smile. "We are by no means plentiful in number, but there are more than you would expect."

Erestor sat for a moment digesting this information. He looked at the handsome warrior and blurted out the first thing that came to his mind, "Would you go to the ball with me?" Erestor paused for a moment, with eyes wide and expression shocked. Had he really just said that? "I'm so, so sorry. Oh, dear Valar I'm so stupid."

Glorfindel smiled at the flustered youth and shushed his babbling with a gentle finger on his lips. "You are not stupid, and there is no reason to be sorry. I would gladly go to ball with you."

A smile that grabbed Glorfindel's heart lit the youth's breathtaking face. "Truly?"

"Truly. I will come by your house before the ball to retrieve you. I look forward to seeing you again."

"I…I look forward to that as well, my lord," Erestor mumbled shyly.

"None of this _lord_ nonsense," Glorfindel admonished. "Please, call me Glorfindel."

Erestor nodded and put a slender hand to his cheek as if it would steady his rapidly spinning world. He could feel the heat in his cheeks against his anxiety cold hands.

They didn't tarry much longer in the older elf's rooms. They day was getting on, and Erestor was sorely late for classes the same as Glorfindel was severely belated delivering a short report to the council.

The warrior led the still beaming Erestor to the library and left the young scribe to his daily lessons after one more question. "Erestor? How old are you?"

Erestor smiled at the elf that had changed his whole life in the space of one morning. "Forty-nine. I'll be fifty in six months," were his parting words.

As Glorfindel purposefully strode down the halls towards the council chambers and Lord Elrond's private offices, a litany of patience and anxiousness battled within his mind. Granted, six months was a very short time in the grand scheme of an elven lifespan, but to one in the first throws of attraction it seemed an eternity.

However, despite his feelings on the matter, the ball _was_ only the following evening. Plans needed to be made and carried out in short order. He would make the evening into everything Erestor had ever dreamed of, the boy deserved that much. Erestor would be wooed and romanced and courted as Glorfindel saw fit.

And truly, he could be very fit indeed.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Characters: Erestor, Glorfindel, Elrond, OC's

Rating: R (see warnings)

Warnings: Language, bigotry, AU

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Do not sue, all I got are college loans, and this isn't helping to pay them off.

Summery: I do not own The Lord of the Rings or its characters. I make no money from this fiction.

Summary: I…I thought I was the only one.

* * *

Erestor stood at the entrance to the library for a long moment to digest what had just happened to turn his entire life upside-down. Everything his life was based on had changed. He was no longer alone, and there was something very nerve-wracking and wonderful about having Glorfindel, the _Glorfindel_ take an interest in him.

He'd never been called _beautiful_ before.

The dark elf huffed a bewildered sigh and moved deeper into the library, armful of books balanced against his chest. Near a large, bright window sat a small desk specifically for Erestor's studies. It had been brought in for him several years ago at the behest of his teacher. He sat the books down in the middle of the workspace, and began the task of cleaning them of the dirt that had accumulated after this morning's episode. As he cleaned he daydreamed, and soon found that there was a throat clearing to get his attention. He blushed and stammered a greeting to his supervisor, hastily continuing his cleaning of the books.

"What has you in such a bright mood this day, young one? Rarely have I seen you with such a smile on your face," asked the older librarian.

Erestor looked down and shrugged. "Nothing," he mumbled a style true to youths his age everywhere.

The librarian laughed heartily at Erestor's discomfort. Despite the older elf's age, he remembered being young. The way the Erestor was acting told the old elf all he needed to know.

"Found yourself a suitor, eh?"

Erestor's eyes widened and he stammered something that the older elf couldn't quite make out. The young scribe was truly a sweet child, very timid and modest. He couldn't help but tease the boy every now and again.

"'Tis alright, Erestor. I'm willing to tolerate a little daydreaming and swooning every now and again. You have ever been the studious student, and I will not begrudge you a little happiness." The librarian seated himself across the desk from Erestor and leaned until his elbows were propped on the desk with his chin supported in his hands. "So do tell. Who has captured my protégé's heart, hmm? Do I have to go defend your honor?"

Erestor smiled and ducked his head. "No. No need for that. It was just…I met someone."

"Oh?" the older elf prompted.

"This morning, some of the other boys were…they were…" Erestor looked askance at the older elf. "They were picking on me and they knocked me into the dirt. They t-tore off my clothes, called me horrible names."

"Why?"

"Because I'm…sly," Erestor said. His mentor already knew of his proclivities. He'd been there when Erestor was just beginning to blossom into a young adult. He'd been there when they young elf's preferences were made common knowledge and he'd been shunned by the others of his age group as well as those much older. Those that should _know better_.

The librarian's face turned worried, thinking of Erestor being harassed in such a dreadful manner. "That would account for the over-large shirt hanging off your skinny shoulders," commented the other elf.

Erestor nodded. "Lord Glorfindel stopped them."

"Lord Glorfindel?" the librarian asked with surprise. The Valley's Seneschal was a terribly busy elf, usually found either training troops or locked away in council. It must have been chance that he came across Erestor's predicament. And that he took the time to help Erestor afterward…

"Yes. He stopped them and sent them away. He took me to his rooms and cleaned me up and he…he told me I was beautiful," he said with an extremely dreamy look on his face.

The librarian smiled. "Well, certainly have bagged yourself a big one, eh?"

"Oh…oh I don't know," the youth sighed. "But…he really was very nice. He's even going to take me to the ball."

"Truly? Ah, little one. I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you," Erestor mumbled, fiddling with his books.

"You're welcome," the older elf replied. He suddenly frowned in a scolding way. "You should have told me the other younglings were being so violent. I could have talked to Lord Elrond..."

"It's alright, Melpomaen. I was so afraid that if Elrond found out about my…preferences, he would cast me out. I know better now. I think."

Melpomaen smiled. "You know that I will always support you. I have never found anything to fault you for. You are a wonderful student and will one day make a wonderful councilor." His smile widened. "And I must say that you do have impeccable taste in males."

Erestor blushed.

* * *

Glorfindel took care of the most pressing matters of the day before he decided to take the rest of the day off. Leaving his second in charge, he made straight for the tailors.

The woman that greeted him smiled warmly and a bit greedily. It was well known to vendors around Imladris that the former Lord of the Golden Flower did not spend his money often, but when he did you could live off the revenues for a year.

"What could I do for you today, my Lord?"

"Do you have the measurements for one of the younglings named Erestor?"

The seamstress raised her brow but went to search her catalog, much like one would find in the library. Pulling out a small card she regarded it carefully.

"I have his measurements for his last work robe fitting. That was only a couple months ago. They should still be good."

"I hear you have the fastest sewing hands in the valley."

The lady bowed. "I do have that reputation, and, if I must say, it is well founded."

"Good. I have a job for you."

* * *

It was dark, the hour before dawn. The young elves that had harassed Erestor the previous day stood in a line at attention awaiting their punishment. Glorfindel stalked back and forth slowly in front of them, letting them stew a little. Glorfindel was magnificent in his anger, and angry he was. He let them see it. See his displeasure in the set of his face and stiffness of his shoulders.

He stopped abruptly in front of the line of cadets. Glorfindel's face displayed bottomless exasperation as he said, "Yesterday, I saw not future guards of Imladris, but simple ruffians. I will not tolerate such acts from recruits in my employ. I am highly disappointed in all of you." He make it a point to look each young elf in the eyes. "Since you seem to think you must assail those that are at a disadvantage to you," here he un-strapped his sword and threw it to the side of the sparing ring, "today you will learn a lesson in humility. You will each face me armed while I have nothing but my bare hands to defend myself. If you should at any point beat me, then I will allow you to go on as you please. You will each face me until you either admit defeat or you can no longer stand. You," here he pointed to Corchvorn, the ring leader, "will go first." The warrior stepped backward until he stood on the other side of the sparing ring. He crouched into a defensive pose.

Corchvorn stepped forward hesitantly, obviously fearful and unsure. He unsheathed his training blade. It was dulled, but still very much a weapon. He was good, as far as a trainee his age went. However, he knew this was a loosing battle before he even stepped foot into the training circle. Glorfindel was one of the most renowned warriors of all time. However…the boy glanced to the side, seeing his father watching the entire scene. If he just _gave up_ there would be hell to pay later.

Setting his shoulders, Corchvorn lowered his blade into ready position and attacked.

* * *

It was nearly noon before the young elves conceded defeat. They had taken turns fighting their captain. They had been armed with both sword and dagger and he naught but his hands and his experience.

It was experience that won the battle.

Every attack was countered ruthlessly and nearly viciously. Weapons flew through the air as the assailants were disarmed, and the youngsters released pained grunts as over and over they were flung to the ground and pinned.

Warriors and passers-by had formed a sizable audience. Near the end, the sparing ring was surrounded by a crowd several bodies deep. The viewers cheered on Glorfindel and ridiculed the recruits as they were bested over and over again.

When the last elf lay in the dirt of the ring in humiliation, Glorfindel called the weary recruits to attention. The captain looked upon the young elves that could barely stand, so exhausted were they. He had spared them nothing this day. The golden warrior himself was slightly winded and a sheen of sweat covered his body, but he still looked as if he had done only a simple work out.

"How does it feel?" he addressed them. "How does it feel to be beaten by one larger, stronger, and faster than you? In front of an audience no less?"

The crowd roared and jeered. The group hung their tired heads even farther.

Corchvorn glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw his father frowning severely.

"If I ever see conduct such as I witnessed yesterday you will be banished from my army. Understood?"

Bowed heads nodded.

"I asked you if you understood me!?" yelled Glorfindel in full parade voice.

"Sir, yes Sir!"

"Dismissed."

* * *

Erestor was awake before dawn, as was his usual routine. As Glorfindel's lesson began and raged through the morning, Erestor quietly opened his books and took notes as the sun rose in the sky. His room was small, a converted attic space in his parent's cottage. It was his sanctuary, his place to hide from bullies and _parents_ when the scathing remarks became too much and he couldn't stand being a _failure_ for one more moment. Here, there was learning and the crisp smell of parchment and ink. There was a kind of calm in the silent acceptance of the books he read. Books did not judge or taunt or ask why he couldn't be _right_. Books offered their pages of text without prejudice.

The tiny attic window illuminated the small desk underneath it. The mid-morning sun was brightening the tiny, bubble glass pane when a knock sounded at the door downstairs. Puzzled, Erestor stood and hurriedly trotted down the narrows stairs. He pulled the door open and was even more bewildered when a lady with a package stood before him.

"Hello, my lady," he greeted formally. "What can I do for you today?"

"I have a delivery," she said as she extended the large bundle to the young elf. He simply looked confused and the lady impatiently shoved the bundle in his direction.

"I…do you know which of my parents ordered this?"

"It is for you."

"But…I never ordered anything."

She sighed exasperatedly. "I was commissioned by Lord Glorfindel to make this for you. Now, I'm going home and getting some sleep. I've been up all night making that!" With that, she flounced out of sight.

Erestor closed the door and made his way back upstairs. He sat down on the little, second hand bed and opened the package. The dark elf gasped as he shook out the beautiful blue velvet robe. He smiled and hastily shed his simple pants and shirt to don the new clothing. With a fortifying breath and an anticipatory smile, Erestor turned stared at himself in his tiny, smoky mirror. The blue velvet robes were cut to fit him perfectly, showing off his body in a way he had never seen before. He looked…so _adult_. He examined the golden embroidery on the hem and cuffs. It looked like a small sun…or a golden flower. His smile went from happy to radiant.

He carefully pulled off the robes and hung them in his wardrobe. Dressing again in his simple clothing, Erestor sat back down at his desk.

It was only moments later that he heard his mother calling for him.

Sighing and marking his place yet _again_ in his text, he trotted back downstairs and found his mother in the kitchen.

"Who was at the door earlier?" asked his mother as he entered.

"Just a delivery," Erestor said as nonchalantly as he could.

"A delivery of what?" queried his father who came in from the back garden.

"Just some supplies for school. Nothing special," he replied as he sat at the kitchen table.

"Hmf," his father said. He pinned his son with a penetrating gaze. "Are you still intent on not attending the ball this evening? Your mother and I would be disappointed if we did not see you there."

"I…well…" Erestor stuttered. He wanted to tell them. Oh, how he wanted to tell them of his meeting with Glorfindel and his invitation to the ball, but he was afraid they would call him a liar. Or worse. His father could punish him for his impertinence. By saying that Glorfindel was his escort, he was practically telling his father that Glorfindel was also _tainted_. It would be like a slap in the face, and he would more than likely be in a large amount of trouble. His father was one of the Guard, and he idolized Glorfindel as the warrior everyone should strive to be. Everyone including his son.

"I knew it," he said throwing his gear onto the table with much more force than necessary. "Can you not be normal for one night? For one night so the world can stop telling me there is something wrong with my son? What the hell is wrong with you? Could you not give me this one thing? This one, little thing?"

Erestor shrugged his shoulders and hung his head. His mother busied herself at the counter, pretending nothing was happening.

"Could you not pretend for one night that you are a normal child?" He glared at the small, dark elf sitting at the table. Erestor shrugged his shoulders again. His father slammed his hand down on the table and Erestor jumped in his chair. "Listen here you insolent little brat. You will attend this evening's event with the lady escort your mother and I picked out for you. You will go with her to the ball. You will eat, dance, kiss, and come back home. You _will_ prove to my fellows that you have gotten over this…detestable, sinful, heinous…" he was cut off by Erestor's mumble.

"What was that?" his father asked in dark tones.

"There is nothing wrong with me," Erestor said quietly. He dared to look up into his father's eyes through his unbound hair. He looked back down quickly upon seeing the furious gaze of his father.

"Go to your room. Now. Before I decide to take my hand to you for your mouth," the older elf said in a deadly quiet voice.

Erestor left the room and quietly went up stairs. It was hard, he thought, to believe in one's self when no one else did. He'd always strived to make his parents proud, to do what was asked of him. He thought that maybe, once they saw how hard he worked and how far he'd progressed in his studies, they might accept him. He couldn't understand why he was considered such a failure. He didn't get into trouble. He was a studious student, and he might very well be a junior councilor in a few short years. He could speak, write, and read no less than four languages. He…he….

Could never be what they wanted. He wouldn't accept any proposals for betrothal to any of the 'suitable' young girls he'd been paired with. He wouldn't feel right doing so. Erestor couldn't doom himself and some girl to a life without love. He could never love a woman…like he could love a man.

Erestor glanced at his open wardrobe and the beautiful blue robes hanging inside. With a resolve he'd never felt in his young life, he gathered the beautiful robes out of the wardrobe as well as a traveling pack. The scribe bundled the robe in its original packaging, and he neatly packed as much as he could into the other bag. He sneaked quietly down the stairs, careful to avoid any of the squeaks he knew would alert either of his parents. Once at the bottom, he slowly opened the front door and slipped outside. When the door softly clicked shut, he took off like a deer.

* * *

Glorfindel was just exiting the bath when he heard the knock on his door. He wrapped a towel around his waist as he made his way to the entrance. "Who is it?" he called.

"Um…It's me. Erestor."

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow and opened the door. Erestor's eyes widened incredibly when he was greeted by wet, nearly naked, golden warrior. He felt his knees go weak and another part of his anatomy grow hard instantly. The dark elf swallowed and cleared his throat.

"Can I…" his voice cracked and he tried again. "Can I stay here?" He looked down and fiddled with his bag and parcel.

Glorfindel stepped aside and gestured the smaller elf inside. "You can set your things on the bed. I will dress and be out in a moment." The warrior gathered a set of clothes and made for the bathroom. He quickly dressed and entered to bedroom, zeroing in on the dark elf sitting on his bed. He sat down next to him, not touching.

"Can I ask why you are here? Not that I am not extremely please to have your company."

Erestor flushed with pleasure then frowned slightly. "My parents…are not happy."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

A shaky sigh. "They…they are displeased with me."

Concerned, Glorfindel put a gentle arm around the young elf's slender shoulders comfortingly. "How so?"

"I'm not the son they deserve," he said disconsolately. "Why can't I just be _right_? Why do I have to be different? Why do I have to…to…" he looked up into the deep blue eyes of the older elf. "Why do I have to like you so much? Why can't I like the girls my parents choose for me?"

"Oh, little one," Glorfindel sighed and pulled the smaller elf into his arms. "There is nothing wrong with you. I promise you. You are perfect, beautiful and one of the most amazing creatures I have ever met."

Erestor's breath caught. "You don't even know me."

"I believe that it will be one of the greatest pleasures of my life, learning the truthfulness of my statement."

"Oh…oh my," was all Erestor could say.

"You can stay here as long as you would like," said Glorfindel, politely ignoring Erestor's flabbergasted look. Looking out the window, the warrior noted the time. Just slightly after noon. "We should start readying you for the ball."

Erestor's brow furrowed. "But it is only noon! The ball should not be starting until sunset!"

"Yes, but we want to make sure you are at your loveliest tonight."

* * *

While Erestor was settled in the bath scrubbing until he gleamed, Glorfindel took a side trip out of his rooms. Elrond's suite was not far away and it was mere moments before the Seneschal was knocking at his superior's door.

"Glorfindel!" Elrond greeted his friend. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The lord ushered the warrior inside and closed the door behind them.

"I have a request for you, my friend," Glorfindel replied. He followed his lord into the opulently and elegantly appointed bedroom where Elrond sat down in front of a vanity. Another elf stood to the side, brush in hand and a determined look on her face. Once Elrond was settled, she set to work creating the intricate knots and braids of Elrond's station.

Glorfindel seated himself in a nearby chair and watched the amazing work of the woman's hands for a moment. "I have finally secured myself an escort for this evening," he said by way of introduction.

"As a matter of fact?" Elrond asked with pleasure and surprise. He turned his head to regard his friend and was immediately chastised by his hairdresser. Elrond cleared his throat. "Anyway, may I ask who you've finally taken an interest in after all this years?" The lord's face grew puzzled. "And further, I did not know there was anyone of your matching preferences in Imladris."

The warrior smiled brightly. "I believe I found the only one. A youth…and before you call me a lecher, I have no designs on his honor."

"I would never doubt that," Elrond smiled from his very stiff position. He flinched as the hairdresser pulled a little enthusiastically on a long strand of dark hair.

Glorfindel crossed his legs and interlocked his fingers around his knee. "His name is Erestor."

"Erestor? My student, Erestor?" the Lord asked incredulously. "I…I never even knew…"

"He tried to hide it. He was ashamed."

"I assume you disabused him of that notion."

"It's going to take longer than one conversation to reverse years of conditioning. However…I wanted to ask a few favors of you."

* * *

Erestor shivered slightly as he stood with Glorfindel at the entrance to the Hall of Fire. Erestor's arms were entwined with the warrior's, and he rested his head on the golden elf's shoulder. Lord Elrond looked upon the two elves happily, in an almost self-satisfied way.

So far, everything was going according to plan. Erestor was waiting with the highest Lords and Ladies of Imladris to be announced as they entered the room. Erestor took a deep gulp of air as the herald gestured the striking pair forward.

Erestor was astonishingly lovely in his fitted blue robes. They draped perfectly to the ground in shimmering folds and glittering golden scrollwork. His dark hair was magnificently decorated by Elrond's own personal hairdresser. An elegant and obviously expensive circlet made of mithril looped and wove its way through the dark locks and across Erestor's forehead. It entwined like silver vines through his hair and dripped tasteful, glistening ropes of beads to shine like distant stars in a field of darkest blue-black.

Truly, Erestor was a stunning creature. Elrond smiled a little sadly, thinking he hadn't seen such beauty since he last looked upon his beloved wife. Even his daughter, lovely as she was in the eyes of her father, had great competition this evening.

Glorfindel was handsome and genteel as always. The white of his outfit made his golden hair gleam like metal. The brocade and embroidery of his robes matched that on Erestor's, and the two made quite the striking pair.

Before Erestor had time to further his panic, the herald bellowed, "Lord Glorfindel of the House of the Golden Flower, Seneschal of Imladris, and his betrothed, Erestor of Imladris!" Glorfindel pulled Erestor into the large hall guide him toward the dais where they would sit for the meal. Erestor could only gape at the herald's words, and he hardly realized where they were until he was settled into the chair next to Glorfindel. Neither of them heeded the shocked and disbelieving chatter of the assembled crowd.

He stared at Glorfindel in disbelief. "Betrothed? _Betrothed_? Glorfindel what…?"

Glorfindel shushed him with a finger on his lips, smiling gently. He leaned forward and ignored the announcement of all the other dignitaries as he spoke into Erestor's delicately pointed ear, "You do not have to decide this night, but I would like to court you. Considering what happened with your father, Elrond and I decided this would be the best way to protect you. This way you can live with me until your coming of age, and then you may move out if you would like." Something in Glorfindel's voice told Erestor that the older elf did not want him to 'like' at all.

Erestor felt like he had been broad-sided by a warg, and he blinked several times before his brain began to function again. He looked into Glorfindel's smiling face and could not help but smile back. "Alright. I'll…deal with this…terribly unfortunate situation," he teased with a small giggle. Glorfindel swept aside a piece of feathery hair and pressed a kiss to Erestor's cheek.

Erestor heard the collective gasp of the assembled crowd as Glorfindel kissed him, and his head snapped around to view the hundreds of elves staring at him in various degrees of disbelief, disgust, or, in a few cases, pleased approval. Glorfindel turned Erestor's head back to face him, and keeping his eyes firmly on the crowd he kissed Erestor's cheek again. More shocked gasps and some muttering.

Dinner progressed slowly, and Erestor hardly looked up from his meal until Lord Elrond engaged him in a conversation about some vague historical concept that only true scholars would have any notion of. Slowly, Erestor relaxed as the elves around him acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary. What could they say, after all? Glorfindel was one of the most respected elves in history. Who he decided to court _was_ very much their business, but it wasn't the kind of business they had any _say_ over. There was no law per se that prohibited same sex pairings. It was frowned upon, for with a race as slow to procreate as elves, taking a pair out of the gene pool wasn't ideal. Especially one with as much good breeding as Glorfindel.

However, Glorfindel had obviously made his choice, and there was nothing they could do besides gossip and make malicious remarks out of range of the warrior's sharp hearing.

Dinner ended, and the hall was cleared of tables and set up for minstrels and dancing. Erestor and Glorfindel slowly circled the perimeter of the room arm in arm. Erestor was obviously enjoying watching the dancers spin around the floor. His cheeks flushed with pleasure and tiny sounds of awe escaped his lips. Glorfindel was more interested in watching Erestor than the dancers. He'd forgotten what it was like to be young, for everything to be new. He'd forgotten how beautiful elves where when they danced. Graceful, enchanting and ethereal. It wasn't something he'd taken the time to recognize in a long time. These events were many and numerous in his past. They'd become boring and without spirit long ago. But now, watching Erestor experience his first grand ball, it was beautiful all over again.

However, nothing could compare to the otherworldly beauty beside him.

Erestor's smiling face turned up to him and Glorfindel's eyes shone with pleasure. The darkling turned back toward the dancers, only to gasp in surprise.

Puzzled, Glorfindel glanced in the same direction as Erestor and realized they were being rapidly approached by another pair of elves. The Seneschal narrowed his eyes a little at the icy expression on the other's face. He recognized the other male as one of his warriors. A low ranking guard. The woman must be his wife, if Glorfindel was any judge. She looked very much like Erestor.

"Good evening, Father. Mother," Erestor greeted as the other elves came within speaking distance. Glorfindel looked at the other elf coolly and did not extend a greeting.

"You left," was the simple statement Erestor's father made.

As Erestor stuttered for words, Glorfindel's emotions pushed him to cut in. "He had every reason to leave," Glorfindel growled quietly. "Just so you know, in case you haven't already figured it out, I have taken him as my betrothed. I should demote you for your actions, but I shall refrain myself. This once."

Erestor's father flushed a deep red in shame. "I've only ever done what I thought Erestor needed to live a normal life."

"You mean, confine him into the bonds you created for him? Making him think he was something tainted?"

"I…well," the guard stuttered. He was well and truly deep in the hole he'd dug. His captain, the one elf he idolized above all others had the same preferences that he despised so much in his son. "I…suppose you are correct, my lord," he managed to grunt out. "Good luck with him, as I seemed to have had none. He's all yours." The guard regarded his son sadly for a moment before he abruptly took his wife and turned away to leave the Hall of Fire.

Erestor looked devastated. Despite everything, they were still his parents. By turning their back on him…they'd basically said they were done with him. His mother hadn't even said a word, just stood there with her head down. That was it. It was done. In a few simple words, he'd been discarded by his family in the public eye of nearly every elf in Imladris. The darkling felt shamed in a way that flamed and froze at the same time. He barely noticed as Glorfindel whisked him away from the burning eyes of the community. It was only moments later that they were secluded on one of the balconies that jutted off of the main room.

"Little one." Glorfindel's low, deep voice shook Erestor out of his internal panic and grief. Big, dark eyes turned upward. Tears clung precariously to ebony eyelashes.

"Wh…I…h-h," Erestor stammered.

Glorfindel moved so he stood directly in front of the smaller elf, taking up the darkling's entire field of vision. He leaned forward to place his lips against the smooth crown of Erestor's forehead just above the winding lines of the circlet. "I'm sorry," he said simply.

Erestor sighed and leaned in to the comforting, warm strength of Glorfindel's muscular body. "Please don't leave me," he whispered. "Please."

The warrior's face twisted in empathy. "Never, young one. I would never leave you. I pledged myself to you the moment I declared you my betrothed. I will always honor that."

"This…this is too much. To quick," Erestor gasped. "I don't…I don't know…"

"You have time," Glorfindel calmed the smaller elf. "I won't push you. You can decide what you want. I'll give you all the space you need, all the time you need."

"Thank you," Erestor sighed, straightening and weakly smiling at the bigger elf. Glorfindel gently wiped the last of the tears from the dark eyes. The warrior marveled that Erestor was beautiful even after crying.

"Let's enjoy the night," Glorfindel coaxed. "The time to make decisions will come soon enough. Let me see how beautiful you are when you dance."

Erestor sniffed one more time and allowed Glorfindel to guide him back into the hall.

Glorfindel whirled the smaller elf onto the dance floor to Erestor's instant delight. The darkling had never been a part of a formal dance like this one, and with much laughter and faltering steps, Glorfindel taught the young scribe a few dances. The way they moved together, although new and clumsy, was still eye catching. Dark and light, entwined and dancing as if the very air embraced them.

In a far corner of the massive room, a young elf watched the duo waltz across the smooth floors. He was rather handsome in his own right and accompanied by an equally pretty young girl of proper breeding. She was one of the many options young Corchvorn had for betrothal. She was the current favorite. Attractive, quiet, and knew her place. However, she was completely eclipsed by the smiling, gorgeous face of the boy in Glorfindel's arms.

* * *

Erestor snuggled next to Glorfindel on the couch in his rooms where they had retired after thoroughly scandalizing the inhabitants Imladris. He was starting to drift off in the warmth and comfort of Glorfindel's arms in the early dawn light. Glorfindel smiled down into sleepy, dark eyes. He lowered his head and took Erestor's lips in his first, real kiss. They both shivered and let out shuddering breaths as they parted for air. Glorfindel kissed a path to Erestor's ear where his kissed the succulent tip.

"I promise. I will never leave you," he promised with finality.

"I…I think I may be falling in love with you, Lord Glorfindel of Imladris," Erestor smiled sweetly.

"The same here, beautiful one. Same here."

END


End file.
